It’s been a rocky quarter for the big daddies of digital advertising: Alphabet and Meta. While their earnings were a mixed bag, what was more concerning for the two tech titans was the increasing scrutiny their various platforms were coming under, from both government and private enterprises.

While Meta’s Instagram platform has faced criticism for its ad placements and targeting of minors with unethical business practices, Google was targeted by an Adalytics report that claimed it was showing advertisements of some of its biggest clients, the world’s most valuable companies, on sites related to porn, piracy and disestablishmentarianism.

While Googlerubbishedthe report, it’s notable that it then subsequently announced changes to its policy, allowing advertisers to opt out of its Search Partner Network, the main focus of Adalytics’ report, even as it assured clients ofbrand safety.

exchange4media spoke to marketing leaders on what lies beyond Google and Meta, as brands look to diversify their digital ad spends and have more choices for their advertising dollars.

As for Chandraket Mall, Account Director, Media, FCB/SIX India, in a digital landscape dominated by Google and Meta, businesses often accept the "Google tax" for immediate visibility. “The emergence of players like Amazon and Flipkart, with their wealth of consumer data, adds a new dimension to advertising strategies. While short-term gains on platforms seem tempting, the real key to long-term success, as highlighted, lies in a brand's commitment to building organic distribution channels. This involves strategic efforts to foster authenticity, trust, and diversified traffic sources.”

Unny Radhakrishnan, CEO, Digitas India, is confident that, “The rise and rise of retail media will provide additional choices for advertisers. Amazon, Flipkart, Bigbasket, Zepto, Zomato and more such platforms will join. Recently, in the US Cars.com launched their retail media network. Similarly, I see in India more e-commerce retail networks joining this trend. Both the retail media spend share on digital spends and its growth will be in high double digits.”

Tejinder Gill, General Manager, The Trade Desk, also believes that media habits have shifted significantly, and that unknown to many, half of our digital media time spent is on the open internet. “Yet, a vast majority of ad spends still remain within walled gardens. We're advocating for change. The open internet, including channels like news sites, OTT/CTV, music streaming, and online gaming, offers access to over 600 million users in India, which is 11% more than walled gardens.”

Gill asserts that The Trade Desk is tearing down the walled gardens of the internet to drive transparency and effectiveness for advertisers. “As the world’s largest independent media buying platform, we see more than 1 trillion ad opportunities every day. This data empowers brands to figure out which ads to buy, at what price on the fast-growing open internet. The tide has turned, this is the time for marketers to scrutinize their ad spend within walled gardens and compare it against the value offered by advertising on the open internet,” he says.

And it is a fact that as the world of digital advertising keeps shifting, marketers find themselves navigating through a sea of uncertainty.

“The digital ad ecosystem experiences massive instability due to the scrutiny surrounding industry giants. Beyond the domains of well-known platforms like Google and Meta, new platforms and technologies are continuously emerging. Platforms like Snapchat, Quora, Taboola could be considered as alternative sources of discovering avenues but not a permanent replacement. The question here is whether switching between platforms is something we need to do at this time,” says Raghav Upadhyay, Head of Performance marketing at Roisted, powered by Team Pumpkin.

Perhaps, the answer lies in striking a balance. It makes sense to adapt to the current changing industry demand, but marketers believe there's a merit in responsible growth rather than switching to another platform. The key to building a relationship is important where these industry giants are aware of the changing needs of both advertisers and users.

Mall agrees that balancing short-term gains with sustainable, community-focused organic initiatives enables brands to cultivate loyalty, wield influence in specific niches, and navigate evolving market dynamics effectively. “In today's dynamic digital era, where adaptability is paramount, this dual approach ensures brands not only stay visible but also build enduring connections with their audiences.”